Choosing a bathroom tile

Over time, owners start thinking about how to choose tiles for the bathroom and toilet. However, decorating a bathroom is a rather complicated process. Manufacturers, cost, color, strength, durability, and many other aspects are important. All this should be dealt with in detail.

The specifics of the premises

To correctly select the material, you need to imagine in advance what the owners want to get in the end. In addition, it is important to study the room in which the renovation will be carried out. First, let's deal with:

The height of the ceilings.
The size of the room.
The specifics of the premises.
Design.

In addition to measuring and choosing a design, you should definitely pay attention to the tastes and wishes of all residents. The more attention is paid to the little things, the easier and faster it is to find everything you need.

How to choose the right tile?

When decorating a large or small bathroom and toilet, you should choose the right product. Floor and wall tiles and their texture are equally important, and safety must not be forgotten either.

Matte tiles

Advantages:

roughness and restrained appearance;
when water gets in, the surface is not slippery;
ability to repel dirt;
no streaks or marks.

Disadvantages:

the possibility of mold stains.

Glossy tile

Advantages:

visually makes a small room larger;
repels grease pollution;
perfectly washed;
has a beautiful shine.

Disadvantages:

stains, dried water and others are visible on a dark or light glossy surface;
in the presence of water, the surface is slippery.

We look at the size

If the room is spacious, then you can give free rein to imagination and choose not only a small tile, but almost any size, but if not, proceed from the possibilities of the room.

Ceramic tiles are made in the form of squares or rectangles. The vast majority of tiles are square in shape, they have different sizes: from 15 to 15 and ending 45 to 45.

For spacious rooms it is better to pick up squares, but for small ones it is better to lay them out on the floor. Rectangles are another matter. They not only visually expand the area, but also look beautiful. But in this case, remember the rules below:

For square rooms, the best option is to lay rectangular tiles vertically.
To avoid a lot of seams, do not use small tiles.
For long and narrow rooms, it is correct to lay the tiles horizontally or diagonally.

Color scheme

There is a huge amount of "correct" advice on which tile is better for the bathroom and toilet. If you listen to everyone, then in the end nothing good will come of it. But the most important thing to remember:

A small bathroom should not be done in dark colors, as this will visually diminish it.
It is not recommended to decorate with white tiles only. Yes, the lighting will increase, but not the space, and the room will remain seemingly small.
To increase the space, laying diagonally contrasting tiles is perfect.
Decorative tiles on one side of the wall, and ordinary tiles on the other, will visually make a small bathroom look larger.
One collection of tiles laid on the floor and walls will add unity of style to the room.
Dark colors and colors with shiny shades add elegance and aristocracy; bright - dynamism; pastel, light and neutral - spaciousness.

It is impossible to write a lot of tips and specifics about which tile to choose for the bathroom and toilet, since the selection of any color depends on a particular room, taking into account its internal structure. Therefore, it is better to be guided by personal preference.

Manufacturing methods

Currently, there are several ways to make ceramic tiles, they are divided into the following types:

Bicottura type. Thanks to the double firing, it is not afraid of detergents, but the tiles are relatively fragile. Wall decoration is the main application.
Monocottur type. Firing is carried out once, which makes the material stronger, therefore it is also suitable for floors. If the tile is glazed, then it is applicable only for the walls.
Clinker. High strength due to low porosity of the material. But the naturalness of the shades will not allow you to experiment a lot with the design.
Porcelain stoneware. Possesses high strength and resistance to mechanical stress, most often lies only on the floor. Has a rough surface, like a stone.

Varieties of material

There are different types of bathroom and toilet tiles. In addition to ceramics, the following materials are used for manufacturing:

Glass. Almost all characteristics are similar to ceramics, except for impact resistance: it is worse. The ceiling and walls are trimmed.
Polymer type tiles. Small durability, low cost. Great solution for renovations on a budget.
A natural stone. Long service life, beauty and luxury are the main advantages. But the material is expensive.

Important indicators for choosing a tile

Chemical resistance is usually indicated by a bulb icon. Any household products are suitable for cleaning.
Exposure to wear and tear. They are divided into five classes: 1 - the material has low strength, 5 - the most durable. For the bathroom, it is advisable to use tiles up to the fourth grade.
To find out the thickness of the product, you should look at the pictogram. For wall cladding, it is advisable to use tiles with a thickness of 6 to 9 mm, as a floor option - from 9 to 12 mm.
Porous structure. Please note that the greater the porosity of the tile, the less it will last, as it absorbs water well.
Drawing. The better the design on the surface, the more durable and stronger the material.
Smooth surface on the back. After the tile is fixed to the wall, large gaps and depressions will prevent it from holding firmly.
The front surface should be smooth and free from bubbles.
The tile should not be curved or irregular in geometry.

Also notice that the tile surface on the masonry side is indicated by the corresponding small pictogram: foot - floor, palm - wall.